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Chapter Thirty-Three
For New Year's Reid and Jenna usually stayed in and watched the fireworks from their window. Occasionally he was invited to parties at the other homes but Reid never really enjoyed them. He preferred spending time with Jenna when he couldn't spend time with his "team" family.
It was ten o'clock and Reid had put some frozen snacks in the oven when there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find Long and Aria all bundled up.
"Let's go down to the party!" Aria said.
Jenna came out of her room wearing a thick sweater.
"Sounds like a great idea!" she said.
Reid looked down at his slipper socks and sweat pants and then looked at Long.
"You knew about this?"
"I though they told you and you had agreed to it," Long said.
"Never trust Jenna to convey anything to me," Reid said.
Jenna came closer. "I thought you'd like the surprise."
Reid turned to her. "Jen, a word in your room. Felicia, would you pull the pizza bagels out of the oven?"
"Sure Spencer," she said and walked to the kitchen.
Aria moaned. "But we're going to be late."
"We still have time Aria," Long said. "It isn't midnight yet."
Jenna walked obediently to her room and Reid closed the door behind them.
"Jenna this has to stop," he said.
"What? I thought you'd like going out for once?" she said innocently.
"I don't like being ambushed like this repeatedly with opportunities to get together with Mr. Long," he said angrily. "How I pursue a relationship with Ms. Long is my business, not yours."
"But it affects me," she said.
"Everything I do affects you Jenna. That is why I act with as much caution as I do. I don't want you to get hurt."
"But I won't Dad," Jenna said. "You raised me to be strong."
"You may be strong, but I still have to protect you as I see fit. Jenna you need to trust me to make the right decisions with regards to how I act with Ms. Long. This relation may last or not and I have to be the one to determine that, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay dad," she said. "No more playing parent trap with you and Felicia."
"Maybe it is time I saw that movie," he said as he opened the door.
"You'd hate it."
"All the more reason I should," he said.
They entered the kitchen where Aria and Long were waiting. "I'm going to change and everyone be ready in five minutes."
Long laughed. "But you look great the way you are."
Reid threw her an irritated look. Long batted her eyelashes.
…
"I am really sorry about that," Long said as they watched Aria and Jenna run around.
"It's okay," he said. "Maybe this can be the start of a new tradition."
"How about a new rule too? No letting our kids communicating possible plans."
"So we only to talk to each other," Reid said.
She pulled him close. "Exactly.
Reid looked at the timer. "We still have five minutes to go."
"You know it already New Year's in some parts of the world," she hugging him. "And beside you know our kids will be watching us when the clock hits midnight."
"Sounds like an excellent idea then," he said and kissed her deeply.
He stopped when there was a smattering of applause. They both turned red and separated.
"So did you make a wish?" Reid asked.
"It will only come true if it is a secret," she said with a coy smile.